In an elimination game against Hungary in the group stage of the 2016 European Championship, Portugal’s star striker and curiously proportioned statue Cristiano Ronaldo was absolutely magical, scoring two game-tying goals. If he hadn’t scored either of these goals, Portugal would have been eliminated from the tournament in a shocking upset. Instead, the team survives to the knockout phase and Europe’s greatest player gets to hopefully keep doing crazy things.
Not only did Ronaldo literally save his team, he scored one of those ridiculous goals without even looking. You have to see this.
This backheeled beauty—played with the insouciance of a man in a pickup game, rather than one on the world game’s second-brightest stage—tied the game at 2–2 in the 50th minute. It was his first goal of the Euros, making this tournament the fourth European Championship in which Ronaldo has scored. But in another shock, Hungary scored five minutes later to take the lead again.
Portugal didn’t have to wait long before Ronaldo struck again, this time sending a glancing header to the back of the net in the 62nd minute.
It was 12 minutes of soccer bliss, mainly courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo, and now we thankfully get to see him try to make some more.
